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How To Eat Healthy; Interview With Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser; Interview With Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA). Aired 11:30a- 12p ET

Aired August 22, 2024 - 11:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[11:30:02]

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST: I know you probably agree with her on that. She's going to address the border, which Trump has actually tried to weaponize against her. But how can she make a case that she actually can handle the border, in addition to describing Trump's policies, however they are?

I mean, I think voters want to know, can she stop what they see as an uncontrolled flow at the southern border?

SEN. ALEX PADILLA (D-CA): Look, I appreciate the question. It is timely.

And it's also clear, not just the contrast of what you will get under Trump, mass detentions, mass deportations, chaos and fear in communities across the country, let alone the economic impact of that.

But under Vice President Harris, we have already seen a significant drop in the number of people coming to the southern border, mostly to seek asylum, others not, because of her leadership and our engagement with Mexico and other countries in the hemisphere.

What we're also going to get through Vice President Harris, when she becomes president of the United States, is a more thoughtful, holistic solution. We do need to address the border. Everybody of all political stripes wants a safe, secure, orderly border.

But we also need to address the root causes of migration, what's causing so many people to want to come to United States. We're only going to address that through continued engagement with allies. And we cannot, President Harris will not forget about dreamers, farmworkers, other long-term residents of the United States who happen to be undocumented, but are contributing so much to the success of their communities and our country.

PHILLIP: We have been talking a lot about the theme of freedom that was on display last night and most of the nights here at the DNC.

Last night, J.D. Vance spoke to my colleague Jake Tapper, and he criticized Democrats. He said that there's an attempt to distract from the issues that voters care about. Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So what you see from the Democrats is instead this argument that, if you want to vote for Donald Trump because you want to change the direction of this country, you're somehow a bad person.

And I really think that that dark message really doesn't gel at all with the idea that somehow the Democrats are the joyful party. There's a lot of attacks on Donald Trump, a lot of criticisms of what he's done and what he's said, not a whole lot of positive vision for how Kamala Harris is going to fix the problems that plague the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIP: Your response?

PADILLA: My reaction to that?

PHILLIP: Yes.

PADILLA: I mean, he's suggesting that we're trying to distract?

That's all Donald Trump tries to do. There is no vision from the Republican Party or their ticket. And so he's the one trying to distract, debating crowd sizes, belittling people.

If he spent as much time trying to help people as he does trying to come up with nicknames for political rivals, maybe they'd have something more to show for it. What we're seeing on the Democratic side is not just the energy of hope and optimism, but specific, concrete ideas that build on the success of the last four years.

To think that we're at this point with record low sustained unemployment, inflation going down, record job creation, more people with access to health care and reducing the cost of prescription drugs, access to quality education, we're tackling climate change, people are feeling the benefits of that.

And we want to continue that. And that's part of the energy driving the Harris/Walz ticket.

PHILLIP: One final thing before you go. There's -- this is not getting a lot of attention outside of these halls, but inside the convention, there have been some concerns from the uncommitted delegates that there won't be a Palestinian-American representing that part of the party on the stage at all this week.

They were told no by the convention organizers and the Harris campaign. Was that the right move?

PADILLA: The -- well, I trust the campaign, their judgment. And there's a whole lot of folks who want to speak during the convention and it's a finite amount of time.

I think the issue has been raised and spoken to, right? Everybody wants a cease-fire, but a cease-fire requires agreement among all parties. I think, long term, people do want peace, stability and security for everybody, not just in Israel and in Gaza, but throughout the region. And we're going to, I think, take significant steps towards that under President Harris.

PHILLIP: All right, Senator Alex Padilla, thank you very much for joining us. We appreciate you.

PADILLA: Thank you.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: All right, coming up, this is probably not a good idea, but Matt Friend is back.

Matt, who you got today?

MATT FRIEND, COMEDIAN: We got so many people. Tim Walz is here. Obviously, Trump is here, maybe McConnell. I have all of Congress in my head.

ACOSTA: There's a little set of glasses in the jacket pocket.

FRIEND: Yes, we have McConnell. Let me just show you. He's looking ready just like this all the time.

ACOSTA: All right, very good.

MCCONNELL: We're going to see you around.

ACOSTA: It's a dead ringer.

We will be right back.

FRIEND: We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:39:22]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRIEND: There's only one guy who does the most mediocre impression of me. He fails like a dog. You know who I'm talking about, right? Who is it?

ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: You know, Donald, we could have been great friends.

FRIEND: Why'd you say this?

BALDWIN: If you had just changed your course one degree.

FRIEND: I think you're a dog.

BALDWIN: All you needed was a slight change.

FRIEND: Alec, you were so mean to me on the show. The way you portrayed me, it was so unfair. Vice President Harris, this is Barack Obama. And I have to say that it

is a thrill to be with you, all the great work you have been doing with my vice president and now your president. Thank you so much.

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (D) AND U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I appreciate you.

FRIEND: I appreciate that.

HARRIS: I appreciate you even more.

FRIEND: Thank you. I appreciate you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(LAUGHTER)

ACOSTA: Comedian Matt Friend has gone viral for his spot-on impressions of politicians and celebrities.

[11:40:02]

You have probably seen his hilarious takes on Jeff Goldblum or Howard Stern. The list goes on and on. This week, he's bringing some of that excitement to the Democratic National Convention.

And Matt Friend joins us now.

Matt, great to see you, as always.

FRIEND: It's great to be here. There's -- nothing speaks comedy like politicians at the DNC. Thank you for having me.

ACOSTA: No shortage of material.

FRIEND: No shortage.

ACOSTA: And you're very well-known, as we were just showing there in the clip, for your Donald Trump.

FRIEND: Yes.

ACOSTA: But you have a Tim Walz.

FRIEND: Yes.

ACOSTA: A lot of people don't know. Tim Walz, now you do him.

FRIEND: Well, I always said, I got fired up watching the guy yesterday. We're in the fourth quarter, Jim. We got a few minutes to go in the game, but I got to tell you, you got to mind your own damn business.

(LAUGHTER)

FRIEND: Do whatever you want, but let the government stay out of your own body. And I got to tell you one last thing.

When we win this dang thing, Kamala Harris going to take a big thing of Gatorade and pour it all over my face.

(LAUGHTER)

FRIEND: I'm the best dang coach you ever seen. Ted Lasso's got nothing on me.

(LAUGHTER)

FRIEND: I'm feeling good about it. Feeling great about our chances. Bill Belichick could take a note.

ACOSTA: But so -- and so far, you are not choking like a dog.

FRIEND: Yes. I'm not choking like a dog, Jim.

ACOSTA: Yes.

FRIEND: I'm not choking like a -- you're choking like a dog, Jim.

ACOSTA: As always.

FRIEND: You're choking like a dog, absolutely.

It just comes out of us, you know?

ACOSTA: It does.

FRIEND: I think the Walz is getting better.

ACOSTA: The Walz is getting better, a little Minnesota.

FRIEND: It certainly...

ACOSTA: You got the little corn dog thing going there.

FRIEND: I got the Walz. I can't wait for the J.D. Vance debate. Just get off the couch J.D. and come debate me, all right? Yes.

ACOSTA: Now, do you have favorites?

FRIEND: Yes.

ACOSTA: I mean, we have seen your Andy Cohen. We have seen...

FRIEND: Yes.

ACOSTA: My personal favorite is the Howard Stern.

FRIEND: Right.

ACOSTA: Now you're starting to do Bill Maher.

FRIEND: Oh, right. Yes, I do. I do, right? And, finally, new rule, OK, if you're going to go to the DNC, make

sure your speech isn't an hour-long, OK? I mean, you know how the Oscars play you off when the speech goes too long?

ACOSTA: Yes.

FRIEND: We should have that here, OK, right?

ACOSTA: They might have needed that for Bill Clinton last night?

FRIEND: They -- I think they should have. I agree with that.

ACOSTA: A little something.

FRIEND: I'm like a glorified parrot. I'm just happy to be here, CNN. Yes.

ACOSTA: And you're launching a new podcast.

FRIEND: Yes. Yes.

ACOSTA: What can you tell us about that?

FRIEND: It's called "Friend in High Places."

ACOSTA: Yes. Yes.

FRIEND: I just interviewed Bill Maher. He was the first episode.

ACOSTA: And he doesn't like it when you do...

FRIEND: Oh, he doesn't. He goes, I don't hear it, right?

ACOSTA: Yes.

FRIEND: So I interviewed him. It's on my Instagram @TheMattFriend and YouTube and Parler and TRUTH Social. I'm kidding, but just on the socials.

(LAUGHTER)

FRIEND: And, yes, but I'm thrilled to talk to people and learn from you, the best in the business.

ACOSTA: Oh, you the man.

And I understand you interviewed Michael Cohen.

FRIEND: I did. I got to talk to Michael. I said, you betrayed me like a dog. You're a snitch. It's horrible what you did to me.

(LAUGHTER)

FRIEND: And Michael had that kind of New York reaction to it.

ACOSTA: Yes. FRIEND: But he's getting a little too meta now. It's kind of weird.

ACOSTA: Yes, with Michael, you might have to drop a few F-bombs in there, not that we're going to do it on the air.

FRIEND: Yes, for sure. We can do it later, yes.

ACOSTA: But let's play a little bit of this.

FRIEND: OK.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRIEND: So I'm here with failing Michael Cohen.

MICHAEL COHEN, FORMER ATTORNEY/FIXER FOR DONALD TRUMP: Not failing.

FRIEND: Michael, you betrayed me like a dog. It is really a horrible thing, what happened. What would you like to say to my face? Because you're a snitch. It's nasty what you did. You treated me horribly, and you know what happened. What would you like to say, Mike?

COHEN: Donald, enjoy prison.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Oh, wow. OK.

FRIEND: It's getting weird now.

ACOSTA: Yes, it is.

FRIEND: I'm with the actual people. I just -- like...

ACOSTA: And everything is like a dog. Everything is like a dog, yes, choking like a dog.

(CROSSTALK)

FRIEND: Just don't tell Kristi Noem, OK?

ACOSTA: Oh, man.

FRIEND: Do not tell Kristi Noem if it's like a dog.

ACOSTA: And, I mean, you have started some CNN impressions?

FRIEND: Yes. Yes, I have.

ACOSTA: I think we're all cringing. We're all worried about this.

FRIEND: Yes. Yes.

ACOSTA: Yes.

FRIEND: I was working on the -- kind of a David Axelrod. He kind of comes from the top of the nose. Great to be in the United Center, where my Bulls play. But, anyways...

ACOSTA: Is there an Anderson? Is there any -- yes.

FRIEND: Well, I can do my Andy.

ACOSTA: Yes, Cohen, yes.

FRIEND: Andy talking to A.C. They're going to take some shotskis on New Year's. It's cute.

Jim is really cute in person.

ACOSTA: Oh, boy.

FRIEND: He's amazing.

ACOSTA: OK.

FRIEND: And the atmosphere...

ACOSTA: We're running out of time.

FRIEND: I like the Anderson Cooper drunk giggle when he's on New Year's. Just...

(LAUGHTER)

FRIEND: I can't quite do it yet.

ACOSTA: Kind of like mine.

FRIEND: But I do love that guy, yes.

ACOSTA: Yes. And is there -- like, is there something that you're working on, workshopping you think we should know about? What's coming?

FRIEND: I mean, truthfully, the news is writing itself.

And it's funny because, as I prepare jokes and I make a J.D. Vance couch joke, I'm like, oh, my God, did I really just say that?

ACOSTA: Oh, man.

FRIEND: But it is just the news. I'm just kind of repeating what's happening.

ACOSTA: What would you do without us?

FRIEND: What would I do without you? Exactly.

ACOSTA: I don't know. I don't know.

FRIEND: I wouldn't live. So I'm grateful to be here. Thank you for having me on. We're doing it live.

ACOSTA: That's it.

FRIEND: We're doing it live.

ACOSTA: You did not choke like a dog.

FRIEND: Did not choke like a dog.

ACOSTA: Matt, always -- and I should say, I have seen you live.

FRIEND: Yes.

ACOSTA: I saw you in the D.C. area. And if you get the chance...

FRIEND: Should we tell them what happened?

ACOSTA: What?

FRIEND: Because I got to reenact your famous Trump press conference.

ACOSTA: That was...

FRIEND: I said, we got to throw Acosta out. He's a horrible, terrible person. He's disrespectful. He's wrong. He's nasty. Get him out of here.

ACOSTA: There was no microphone pulling, which was good.

FRIEND: There was no pulling.

ACOSTA: I'm glad we did not do that, but, as always...

FRIEND: You're the best.

ACOSTA: You're the -- I mean, but people should go see you live.

FRIEND: Yes.

ACOSTA: It is a big treat.

FRIEND: Yes.

ACOSTA: And check out the podcast.

FRIEND: Yes, check out the podcast @TheMattFriend on YouTube.

ACOSTA: It's the like a dog podcast.

FRIEND: It's like a dog.

ACOSTA: You're the best. Thank you, CNN. We love CNN. Great ratings. We love you guys.

(LAUGHTER)

ACOSTA: And on that note, thanks for joining us, Matt Friend. We appreciate it. We're going to get out while we can. [11:45:02]

We will be right back.

(LAUGHTER)

FRIEND: While we can. Thank you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIP: Among the delegates present during Tuesday's raucous ceremonial roll call here at the DNC was Washington, D.C.'s, Mayor Muriel Bowser.

She used her opportunity at the microphone to push for statehood in the nation's capital.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MURIEL BOWSER (D), MAYOR OF WASHINGTON, D.C.: We know Kamala Harris will fight for our freedom and we will work together to make Washington, D.C., the 51st state.

(CHEERING)

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIP: Mayor Muriel Bowser joins me now.

Mayor, good to have you here.

I have been prior to right now a longtime resident of Washington, D.C. I know how long this issue has been on the agenda, many, many decades at this point. Do you have those assurances from Vice President Harris and Tim Walz that they would support getting D.C. statehood finally across the finish line?

[11:50:08]

BOWSER: Well, Abby, thanks for having me.

And I was proud to cast our votes for the next president of the United States, who has been a long time supporter of D.C. statehood. And she knows firsthand, having been living in Washington, D.C., and working with us on tough issues, how important it is, but not just important for us, but important for our entire nation, that the 700,000 taxpaying Americans of D.C. are represented in the capitol, just like every other American here.

PHILLIP: Just to follow up on that, I mean, the opposition to statehood among Republicans has become almost existential in a way.

How do you get past that? They are worried that this means their electoral -- they might become obsolete electorally if D.C. becomes a state.

BOWSER: Well, I think what we should all worry about is our democracy and the promise of our democracy.

And that's that every resident -- one of the promises is that every resident who pays taxes is represented. When you come to D.C., you will see in our license plates "End Taxation Without Representation."

And I think a lot of the Americans that we're talking to right here in this arena are shocked by that. Some people think we're already a state, or some people think that we aren't being taxed without representation, or that we already have two senators.

So part of our mission here this week is educating American citizens. And we don't see D.C. statehood as a partisan issue. It's an issue of perfecting our democracy.

PHILLIP: This is going to be one of the biggest moments for Vice President Harris in her entire political life.

What should the goals of her speech be tonight?

BOWSER: I think that we have all been thrilled by fiery speeches, especially from the female leaders of our party. We heard from Hillary Clinton, which I know just warmed everyone's hearts and gave us a charge to finish the job.

I thought Michelle Obama's words just told us what we need to do for the next 70 days to elect Kamala Harris. We heard from Angela Alsobrooks, who's going to be a fantastic senator from Maryland. And I know what Vice President Harris will do, will tell us who she is, why she's fighting for our nation.

She will share with people how she's worked hard through the ranks from a DA's office and what her plans will be for the White House. And I think what we have all seen in the last several weeks is that she's ready. She's done each job that she's been elected to with fidelity, and that's what she's going to do as president.

She's strong, she's courageous, she has a moral compass, and she knows how to win. And she's going to win this race and just make sure we have a president in the White House that we're proud of.

PHILLIP: As you know, Mayor, Donald Trump has attacked Harris as soft on crime. He's used Washington, D.C., and a lot of other major cities. I have talked to several mayors this week on the air about this. He is using the city as the microcosm of what's wrong in terms of crime in this country.

So what should that message from Vice President Harris be to address these attacks, to address the concerns that maybe many voters have about their own safety and the safety of their communities?

BOWSER: I think Donald Trump's message is a tired, old message that doesn't reflect the hard work of our police officers in communities and cities across this country. I'm in Chicago right now, and it couldn't be a more perfect experience

for our delegates and our party to display our message. In Washington, D.C., in fact, we have driven down crime. I think we're working very hard to end this year with a historic decrease in crime.

And we have got that way, not from divisive politics, but from rolling up our sleeves and getting to work. Now, I happen to have been on the stage when Donald Trump was sworn in and gave that American carnage speech. And I was shocked and appalled by his vision for America.

In January 2025, we're going to have a very different inauguration for Kamala Harris.

PHILLIP: All right, Mayor Muriel Bowser, thank you very much.

And you might be hearing sound check for The Chicks behind us. They will be on that stage tonight.

Thank you for joining us this morning. I'm Abby Phillip.

"INSIDE POLITICS WITH DANA BASH" starts right after a quick break.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey there. I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, host of CNN's "Chasing Life" podcast. A key part of eating healthy is balanced portions. That is simply not eating too much.

[11:55:02]

But the problem is that it is way too easy to overeat, especially with the large portions dished up at restaurants. So here is a convenient tool you can use to get your servings right at every meal. It's simply your hand.

For protein like chicken or fish, aim for a portion the size of your palm. For carbs like rice or pasta, a clenched fist is going to be a good measure. A cupped hand equals a half-cup of serving of food, so, for vegetables, go for two cupped hands. Fats like cheese or peanut butter, they should be around the size of your thumb. That's about a tablespoon.

And another tip, use smaller plates and bowls. That can actually trick your mind into thinking that you're eating more than you are, helping you feel satisfied with less.

You can hear more about how to optimize your health and chase life wherever you get your podcasts.

(END VIDEOTAPE)